The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for obtaining and analyzing a blood sample and, in particular, to an apparatus for obtaining and analyzing a blood sample having a lancet coupling mechanism.
Patients with metabolic diseases typically must regularly analyze their blood. Especially diabetics are instructed to regularly check the blood sugar level. For this purpose, a small wound is generated by means of a lancet, preferably on a fingertip. A small sample is then collected from the exiting blood and transferred to a test element in order to be analyzed.
In more recent times, small, automatically operating, handheld devices have been developed, which contain a magazine having a plurality of lancets implemented as disposable articles and a corresponding number of test elements. The analysis of the blood sample is performed by an integrated measuring device. Such highly integrated devices have an advantage that the patient only needs to carry a single apparatus that can perform a number of tests identically before the consumable material needs to be replaced.
The design requirements for a small hand-held apparatus that anyone can perform an automatic blood sugar test can be extraordinarily demanding since the device needs to be as small and light as possible. It should be able to be operated so easily and comfortably that a blood sugar test can be performed anywhere and as inconspicuously as possible. Of course, absolute reliability should be expected from a medical apparatus. Since diabetes is widespread disease, the manufacturing costs should remain low for a mass-produced product.
For a fully automatically operating blood sugar test device, a special drive mechanism may be required to execute various and highly differing movements. These movements may include the rapid piercing movement of the lancet and the subsequent retraction movement, the advancing of the magazine to bring an unused lancet into functional position, the coupling of a fresh lancet and the decoupling of the used lancet, and kinematics that transfer of the blood sample from the lancet to the test element.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus for obtaining and analyzing a blood sample that is compact and light with very high mechanical reliability and the least possible energy demand.